ERO San Antonio removes 2 Salvadoran fugitives

SAN ANTONIO — On Sept. 18, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations San Antonio, with assistance from ERO El Salvador and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement in El Salvador, removed Luis Roberto Vasquez Vasquez, 26, and Jose Alexander Quijano-Ochoa, 35, both Salvadoran nationals with gang affiliations who were unlawfully present in the United States.

Vasquez and Quijano were flown aboard a flight coordinated by ICE's Air Operations Unit from the Harlingen International Airport in Harlingen to the Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport. Upon arrival, they were transferred into the custody of Salvadoran authorities.

“ERO San Antonio will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to identify and remove dangerous foreign fugitives that present a threat to public safety,” said ERO San Antonio acting Field Office Director Sylvester M. Ortega.

On July 4, Vasquez illegally entered the United States near Eagle Pass without inspection, admission or parole. On the same date, the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Vasquez upon his illegal entry into the United States. Border Patrol officials served Vasquez with a notice and order of expedited removal. On July 6, ERO San Antonio received custody of Vasquez and transferred him to the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center to await his removal from the United States. On Sept. 18, ICE officers removed Vasquez from the United States to El Salvador.

On Jan. 18, 2012, Quijano entered the United States near Sasabe, Arizona, without admission or parole. On the same date, USBP apprehended Quijano near Itak, Arizona, upon his illegal entry into the United States. Border Patrol officials served Quijano with a notice and order of expedited removal. On Jan. 21, 2012, ERO Phoenix received custody of Quijano and transferred him to the Florence Service Processing Center to await his removal from the United States. On Feb. 1, 2012, ERO Phoenix removed Quijano from the United States to El Salvador.

On July 23, Quijano entered the United States near Eagle Pass without admission or parole. On July 26, USBP apprehended Quijano near Carrizo Springs after determining he was illegally present in the United States. Authorities served Quijano with a notice of intent/decision to reinstate prior removal order. On July 28, ERO San Antonio received custody of Quijano and transferred him to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall to await his immigration proceedings. On Sept. 18, ICE officers removed Quijano from the United States to El Salvador.

The SAFE Program is a fugitive enforcement and information sharing partnership that was created in 2012 to better use subject information derived from local in-country investigative resources and leads to locate, apprehend, detain and remove individuals residing in the United States illegally who were subject to foreign arrest warrants. The SAFE Program operates under the respective host nation’s AAR, which constructs a SAFE task force composed of relevant foreign law enforcement agencies, immigration authorities, attorneys general, and national identification repositories — as well as other regional, national, state and local government agencies. The managing AAR ensures that each task force member complies with SAFE policies and standards consistent with the program’s standard operating procedures. Once established, the AAR-led SAFE task force generates new leads and vets existing SAFE fugitive referrals for ERO action.

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives may contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.

For more news and information on how the ICE ERO San Antonio field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission, follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROSanAntonio.